


Unforgettable

by tveckling



Category: Romeo And Juliet - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Gen, Mercutio is suggestive, Post-Canon, Pre-Slash, Tybalt is not averse, no one dies
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-03-12
Updated: 2017-03-12
Packaged: 2018-10-03 10:16:22
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 882
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10242413
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tveckling/pseuds/tveckling
Summary: Mercutio plopped another grape into his mouth and chewed thoughtfully as he dangled his foot. He had made himself comfortable on a thick branch of his favorite tree, right next to the Adige, and with the sun shining he could see himself spend many more hours there. It was precisely what he had planned on doing too, even. Only difference of his plan from reality was the fact that he was all alone. Really not what he had planned for his birthday.





	

Mercutio plopped another grape into his mouth and chewed thoughtfully as he dangled his foot. He had made himself comfortable on a thick branch of his favorite tree, right next to the Adige, and with the sun shining he could see himself spend many more hours there. It was precisely what he had planned on doing too, even. Only difference of his plan from reality was the fact that he was all alone. Really not what he had planned for his birthday.

It was understandable, though. Romeo and Julia was on an outing with their parents, and Romeo had been so miserable when they last spoke that Mercutio hadn’t been able to feel any annoyance. Then Benvolio had managed to get sick the day before, and when Mercutio popped through his window that morning it hadn’t taken long before he realized Benvolio was out cold. Valentine had an important text he had to finish translating, Giovanni had a day full of meetings, and the people who might have been available weren’t people Mercutio wanted to spend his birthday with. It had hurt slightly that no one, not even the servants, seemed to remember it was his birthday though.

Sighing he threw a grape into the air and tried catching it with his mouth. On his third try he managed, and he grinned victoriously as he bit into the sweet fruit. It almost caught in his throat, however, as someone pulled on his foot.

“What the-” Mercutio cursed and sat up, his heart beating in his chest as he recovered his balance. It wasn’t that far down to the ground but he had fallen out of that particular tree enough times to know that an unprepared fall could hurt. He cursed once more when he saw who had surprised him. “What are you doing here, Catulet?”

Tybalt rolled his eyes and bent down to pick up the grapes Mercutio had dropped, dusting the earth and dust off of them as good he could. “Will you ever stop with that awful name?”

“Maybe, when you stop letting your temper make you so fun to tease,” Mercutio said without much feeling. It was just a reflex for him to mouth off to Tybalt whenever they saw each other, but instead of trying to think of quips to make he was wondering why Tybalt had appeared. Why him, why there, why that day of all days?

Tybalt sighed again and shifted, and was that guilt in his face? It almost made Mercutio groan. At the beginning it had been amusing to milk Tybalt’s guilty feelings for all they were worth, but it had been months since their duel. The wound in Mercutio’s abdomen was gone, and the scar was barely worth mentioning, really. No lasting harm had been done, so why wouldn’t Tybalt meet his eyes any longer?

“Speak your business, tomcat mine, or find some other place to stalk. I can’t spend the rest of the day trying to trade barbs with you, no matter how amusing it could be. Return another day and we will see if it doesn’t fit better then.” Mercutio waved his hand regally, then shifted position with a giggle so he could dangle both feet, forcing Tybalt to take a step back to avoid getting kicked.

Tybalt rolled his eyes in that specific way he did whenever he thought Mercutio was being especially ridiculous, and Mercutio giggled again. “What, do you have something important to get to?”

“Everything I do is important, of course, on virtue of me being the one to do it.” Mercutio winked quickly at Tybalt’s unimpressed look.

“I just thought, with you being here without any of your lackeys,” Tybalt began, awkwardly clearing his throat, “Well, I saw you, alone, and I had to come over. You wouldn’t be alone today if you weren’t forced to.”

Mercutio blinked, his face blank as he stared down at Tybalt. What, exactly, was he saying?

Tybalt rubbed his neck and tried a quick smile, but it died quickly. “What, did you think I forgot? I know what day it is, and I remember, you know, back when we were young. You never spent a moment alone if you could help it, and you always planned so you had someone with you. For you to be alone I’m guessing something went wrong this year.”

“Why, Tybalt, are you offering to keep me company?” Mercutio’s voice was silky, keeping every trace of his confusion hidden.

“I-” Tybalt looked around quickly, then shrugged. “I guess I am. Yeah. If you want to.”

Mercutio studied him for some long seconds, enjoying how Tybalt visibly got more and more nervous, then he jumped down from the tree branch. Snatching a grape from Tybalt’s hand he smirked. “I have plans for the whole day and night. Of course, I hope you have money with you since you are going to pay for it all.”

Tybalt snorted and shook his head, but he couldn’t completely hide the pleased smile. “Of course. It is your birthday after all, so I’ll gladly pay.”

Mercutio grinned widely and wiggled his eyebrows. “Oh, my dear feline King, you are going to wish you didn’t say that.”

“Trust me, I already do,” Tybalt muttered, but his look brightened at Mercutio’s laughter.


End file.
